Astral Experience While Awake

September 10, 1996

Dear Parents,

Remember how I had “astral experiences” in USA, where formless evil energies tortured me when I would be in-between the dream and waking state? I cannot recall whether it happened before or after I started on the Path (the experiences went on several months, almost every other day). Since then, in the last 15 years, I’ve only had them two or three times. On 8 September again “they” visited me! That night I was feeling joy inside, an uplifted feeling - perhaps it happened to put obstacles in the way of my joy. The interesting point is that whereas previous experiences were in a half-sleep, half-waking state, this time I was fully awake!

I lay down to sleep after an hour of meditation at 11:15 PM. I covered my whole head, as I do when it is cold. After about 15 minutes I felt a dark, suffocating feeling. So I uncovered the blanket from my head. I opened my eyes, seeing darkness but suddenly feeling a big cloud-like evil force coming towards me.

I was surprised, only a little afraid (my personality doesn’t have much fear in it). I thought, “Ah! The suffocating feeling must’ve been this force only, and not lack of air under the blanket!”

Then suddenly I felt a tremendous force on my back, as if three or four big men were pushing me, trying to throw me on the floor. My body even moved a bit! I was observing it as a witness, intensely repeating my mantra (when the force first approached, I said the mantra outloud four or five times, the rest of the time mentally).

After a few minutes, that stopped and I felt a terrible weight coming down and crushing me, with mammoth force - it was a terrible pain as I was crushed alive - I thought I would break under the intensity! I continued one-pointedly repeating the mantra, with the feeling, “No energy is apart from God, all is Him. This is also God come in this form,” and I could bear it with equanimity.

After being crushed, I suddenly felt an awful churning sensation as if I was being swung around fast like a spinning top, and thrust into space. I felt nauseous and terribly dizzy, a really sick feeling as I was whirled around, my whole system upheaved. After awhile of this, suddenly “they” left me, and all was suddenly silent and calm (during the time there was a loud yet silent sound, like a plane taking off). All was peaceful and quiet and there was only a feeling of calmness. (It was about 11:50 PM by then). Within ten seconds a stray dog sat on my doorstep and began terribly howling sounds for about 10 minutes! Needless to say this has never happened before. I have heard how dogs are sensitive to vibrations – perhaps the dog had felt the evil presence in my room! Anyway, that was the end of that (two days ago and all has been quiet since then).

Whatever happens, the world goes on in its usual way. May He bless us to realize Him in whatever we do, and feel joy inside & out!

Love,

Divya